Lua
by Toni Harrison
Summary: Lua  Hole  This is a short tag to 2.12.  Steve and Danny mainly.  Thanks.


Lua (Hole)

This is a small post ep fic for 2.12 It's Steve and Danny in the main.

Spoilers: up to and including 2x12. Disclaimers: I don't own anything.

NB. I've shamelessly borrowed a little story from The West Wing which again I don't own. It's from episode 2.10 called Noel and its from Leo to Josh. It's magical. I hope I do it some justice here.

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><p>There's so much more Steve wants to hear from Joe, but here and now if he chanced beating it out of him, he can tell his knuckles would give up, before Joe gave what he knows up.<p>

With nothing further said for more than 5 minutes, Joe apparently considers he's off the hook and moves to turn away. Steve grabs his shoulder. He resents the plea in his own voice.

'Joe, please whatever you know, you owe it to me to tell me' Joe's face remains impassive so he tries one last time, today at least. 'You said that Dad wanted you to protect me, please by not telling me this isn't what you're doing'.

Joe says nothing, his eyes avoid Steve's and Steve lets him go, following his walk away until he's out of sight and till there's nothing to stare at any more. He shudders. He doesn't know why but it's at least enough to tear his attention away and so he looks back towards the sea.

He's not sure how long he's stood there, in the background he can hear music and somewhere in his head, it's telling him to go be the best man, and yet he's rooted firmly to the spot.

There's a cough and he half turns towards the sound.

'I've been stood here for the last 5 minutes watching you, babe, what's with the ninja skills?' There's a chiding, teasing tone in Danny's voice but it's intermingled with something else.

Steve says nothing. So Danny gently guides his body round to face him. His face tilts in the direction Joe went 'You got nothing else I'm guessing?'

Steve remains quiet but Danny's learnt to be persistent over the years and so he tries again. 'Hey, look at me McGarrett' Clicking his fingers together in front of Steve's face would never be anything he'd advise anyone in his place right now to do but Steve's a million miles away and he has to get him back.

'I got absolutely nothing else from him, no, what more do you want me to say?'. Steve's tone is one of despondence and acceptance of getting what he's become used to in this whole thing that's become his life lately.

'That's a start' Danny smiles encouragingly. There's further silence and Danny's never been good at silences and he's about to start chattering again when Steve speaks again.

'I'm tired, you know, I'm tired of being tired too' He lets out a long breath. 'When Dad died, I thought that by working and working I'd get through it and when we had Hesse it'd all be over, then when the Governor was killed and I went to jail, I thought I'd come back to work and I'd get through by working and working and working and we'd find out what happened and we did, and then North Korea happened and another person died because of me and I came back and so help me I've tried to get through it by working and working but I'm sc-' He stops, his voice catching on the hated word, he can't meet Danny's eyes, the breath he lets out this time is far too shuddery for his liking and he feels at once embarrassed and just so sick and tired of lying, of pretending it's all okay so he looks up and he really doesn't know why he's surprised at what he sees there.

Danny's not smiling but it's the warmth he sees there that makes him go on.

'I'm scared, and I don't think I've been scared like this since I was a kid' he continues and it feels as though the sores have been scratched and now can't stop their weeping. 'I'm not even scared of what happened in Korea happening again or even Wo Fat, I'm scared that Joe's in so deep and something that I can't even comprehend is about to happen, and everything I think of that could be bad, there's a part of me that 's laughing at me saying, you haven't even seen the half of it yet'. He lets out a small bitter laugh. 'There you have it, bet you wish you'd never asked huh?'.

Danny's response is definite and immediate. 'No it's good, maybe now, we' he gestures in the direction of the wedding party. 'can help you, you think we've not noticed the changes in you since Korea, you were one obstinate bastard before all that with let's not forget the particular fondness for nearly getting me killed every single day of the week, but you at least were Steven McGarrett 110%', this, you' he gestures at Steve now 'you've lost weight, you look like you've not slept in weeks and if we thought you were reluctant to speak before, you're mute now' correcting himself quickly he says 'or you were'.

Steve's expression is lost once more and Danny curses then remembers something.

'Ok, here goes, I heard this story several years ago, well Rachel told me it, and I've never used it before, I figure now's the time'. Steve's expression is impassive but he's not looking ready to protest so Danny carries on 'This guy's walking down a street, when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep, he can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up "Hey you! Can you help me out?" The doctor writes him a prescription, throws it down the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up "Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole! Our guy says "Are you stupid? Now we're both down here!" and the friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out.". Danny stops and Steve's eyes have narrowed slightly but he's saying nothing. 'You understand what that touching little story was about, right? As long as you're down where you are, we'll be down there with you and we'll be ready to get you out whenever you need us, okay?'

Steve nods and there's a flicker of a smile. 'I get it, I dread to think what god awful kind of TV movie you were watching to pick that story up from though, but yeah I get it, thanks Danny'.

'TV movie? Are you kidding? West Wing, McGarrett, not Navy Seals, Not Conan the Barbarian, and not even Rambo, West Wing'.

Steve smiles again at the gentle teasing. 'Seriously Danny, thank you'.

'No problem, babe' He looks out at the sea, himself lost in thought.

'You okay?' asks Steve. 'This whole wedding thing must make you think more of Rachel'.

'She emailed me last night, pictures of Gracie' He says no more, there's no need to say more.

He shrugs to himself and nudges Steve's shoulder. 'We need to quit the pity party and get back to the actual party'.

Steve nods 'In a few minutes' and Danny pats his shoulder then heads back up the beach.

Steve turns back to the sea, he leans down and picks up 3 stones. One he throws for his father, the next he throws for his mother and the last he goes to throw before he stops, no, that one he'll throw in time. He'll know when. He hears a voice calling his name. He turns around and sees Kono waving towards him 'Time for speeches' he hears. He glances again at the ocean, thinks of being in the hole but of not being alone there, smiles and shouts 'I'm coming'.

From a distance, he watches. Partly out of curiosity and also to ensure he doesn't follow him. He watches as Danny arrives on the beach and as he then leaves followed by Steve a few moments later.

The cell is hot on his ear. The voice anxious on the other end of the line. As he watches the men go, he simply says 'It's okay, I have an idea. I'll make this right'. The conversation ends and he puts the cell away. He gazes at the sea and makes plans. He moves and then he leaves.

SPOILERS SPOILERS

Hmmm. I can't stop writing at the moment but am disappointed with this as have had so much in my head since watching the ep this evening. I did consider doing a really depressing one but stepped back from the edge a little, that may yet or who do you all think Shelburne is? I had a thought it could be Catherine earlier? She's in the far east isn't she? Or was it a completely different part of the world?

Will have a break for a couple of days I think as trying to plan another longer fic for over Christmas and New Year plus a funny little fic based on a cargument and don't want you to get sick of me!

I'm also conscious I'm behind with responding to people so will get onto this before I do anything else. Thanks so much for the continued encouragement. xx


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